Leisa and Serge Rossignol take out top honour with cottage garden

A Toowoomba couple purchased a bare block with a few fruit trees and within three years had it overflowing with colour and perfume.

THREE years ago Leisa and Serge Rossignol purchased a small 600 sqm block on Neil Street and promptly got stuck into the garden.

Serge built a small summer house, laid pavers, mowed and dug garden beds while Leisa mapped out a plan.

Together they built a quaint but colourful cottage garden that has now taken out the Grand Champion title in the 2021 Chronicle Garden Competition.

Mrs Rossignol knew their garden was a beauty but did not expect to win.

“It is a little bit surreal at the moment but it is a lovely feeling,” she said.

“It is nice to be recognised for the work that has gone into the garden.” 

The garden is designed in the French potager style and is overflowing with old-fashioned cottage plants and pockets of vegetables.

It is a marked difference from how the block looked when the couple bought the property.

The property, which sits opposite St Savior’s College, is about 115 years old and the garden needed some love.

“We had a few well established citrus trees and nice vine,” Mrs Rossignol said.

“One tree was full of a black sooty disease – we got rid of it and then I had a blank canvas to work with.”

Leisa Rossignol in her Chronicle Garden Competition winning garden, designed and made with her husband Serge Rossignol. Picture: Nev Madsen.

While this was the first time the couple had entered the garden in the competition they did have it ready for showing last year.

Mrs Rossignol prepared a Covid-safe plan and let the visitor information centre know tourists could be directed to their property.

“There were really only two gardens that people could see last year and we were one of them,” she said.

About 3000 people filed through the garden but after winning the grand prize yesterday the couple is expecting many, many more visitors this time around.

Mrs Rossignol said the win would not have been possible without the support of her husband Serge.

“He has done so much work,” she said.

“He built the summer house, built the flower beds and shovelled all the dirt.

“I am absolutely blessed to have him in my life.”

The win is 30 years in the making after Mrs Rossignol discovered her passion for gardening in her early 20s.

Everywhere she has lived has been made brighter and more colourful under her hand.

It is a passion she hoped would be taken up by a new crop of green thumbs and was keen to extend a hand to anyone in need of advice.

“I love the Carnival of Flowers and I love supporting the younger people coming through,” Mrs Rossignol said.

CHRONICLE GARDEN COMPETITION WINNERS

■ School Premises: Our Lady of Lourdes

■Student Garden: Toowoomba East State School

■Not-for-profit premises: Highfields Pioneer Village

■ Commercial Premises: Bunnyconnellen

■City Front or Back Garden: Serge & Leisa Rossignol of 112 Neil Street, South Toowoomba

■Regional Front or Back Garden: Paul & Noela Rubb of 194 Schultzs-Haden Road, Haden

■City Sustainable Garden: Peter & Charmaine Williamson of 30 Rhyde Street, Mt Lofty

■Regional Sustainable Garden: Annette Armitage & Gerard Kingsford of 34 Gowrie Street, Kingsthorpe

■Regional Acreage Gardens: Shirley Mundt of 101 Wellcamp Westbrook Road, Wellcamp

■City Small Residential: Michael Glennon of 5 Ross Street, Mount Lofty

■City Medium Residential: Serge & Leisa Rossignol of 112 Neil Street, Toowoomba

■Regional Medium Residential: Mark & Kellie Gersekowski 15 Lees Court, Crows Nest

■City Large Residential: Richard & Anne-Maree Lindeman of 7 Delvue Crescent, Highfields

■Regional Large Residential: Annette Armitage & Gerard Kingsford of 34 Gowrie Street, Kingsthorpe

■Regional Reserve Champion: Shirley Mundt

■Regional Grand Champion: Paul & Noela Rubb

■City Reserve Champion: Bob & Val Ford

■Grand Champion: Serge & Leisa Rossignol